Jen Lancaster

If you haven't heard about Jen Lancaster or read her books, get thee to a bookstore now! She is the hilarious author of Bitter is the New Black and Bright Lights, Big Ass--her memoirs about changing jobs and how life in the city is not all glamor and glitz (a la Sex and the City). They are so fun to read! Her blog Jennsylvania is also hilarious.


She just came out with a new book, Such a Pretty Fat, and is subsequently on a book tour and what do you know...she came to DC! Seeing as how hers are some of the funniest books I've ever read, I didn't want to miss seeing her in person. So Monday night I went to my first book reading.


It being my first book reading and all, I was expecting to be surrounded by academic-looking, bespectacled book snobs who would ask real thought-provoking, intellectual questions in an effort to probe some deeper meaning from the book that the author really had no intention of conveying. I looked around, and instead found myself among a crowd of thirty- and forty-something chatty-Cathys anxiously awaiting the arrival of their literary heroine. There was one guy, and I'm almost positive he was gay, because he had was flamboyantly gushing to the woman next to him that he had bought like twenty copies of her books (and he had three copies of the newest release in his lap).

As soon as she walked in, all eyes were on Jen. She's beautiful and preppy, beautifully-preppy, in a cute sun dress and her ever-present pearls. She's just as funny in person as she is in her books (which isn't surprising, since her books are her true-life memoirs). She had everyone laughing as she read an excerpt from the new book and gave background to its context. Then she answered the audience's questions and then sat down to do book signings.

I was excited, and a little nervous, to have my copy signed (I felt so nerdy) since Jen is the mother of sharp, witty, smart-ass retorts and I am not. But when I walked up to the table and handed her my copy, she gave me a warm smile and was as sweet as ever. Knowing that she too dreads public transportation, I told her that her books were a source of much-needed comic relief on my daily metro commute. She then gave her condolences for me having to live in the suburbs and commute into the city. Then she was kind enough to pose for a picture with me!


She looks lovely. I look stupid since I'm doing that thing where I try to pose a decent smile while I'm laughing (since she had just said one of her smart, witty, smart-ass comments right before the pic was taken). Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the book reading and meeting Jen Lancaster. She's great! Go read her books or check out her blog now!